Madcap Winners At $27, $21; Maryland Sires Stakes Picks Crush; Hambo Exotics Strike Hard; 52 Percent Watchers Hit

The weeks in harness are becoming more intense by the day. This is the rundown of our successes and failures from both of our TwinSpires blogs in the past week: Thursday, May 16 At Hoosier we covered the features, two divisions of the Go On BB series’ second leg. The majority of bettors won both events. We finished fifth with Northern Salina (31-1) as a choice in the first division, while second with Lady Capulet ($2.10, $2.10 ok), with our trifecta addition, Dojea Rita (4-1) breaking stride to gallop home last. In the second division the public’s top choice won and we finished third with Sage Ivy ($3.40). Saturday, May 18 At Yonkers in the Lismore elims, the first was taken by the obvious choice, while we finished third with Rockn Philly (n/s). Our contender in the second elim, Brooklyn Lilacs, scratched. The Art Rooney elims we were fourth to the favorite in split one with Captain Malicious (11-1) and in the other elim we were also fourth, this time with Branquinno (13-1). The public’s second choice won. In the Graduate trot legs we were correct in round one as Six Pack ($4.40, $2.10, $2.10 ok),returned for a new season and was, surprisingly, the second choice of the public. The other division went to a 7-1 shot, leaving us second with Crystal Fashion ($3.40, $2.10). At Rosecroft we had two of the four sophomore sires-stakes final winners. Favored by the public, we won with Anna B ($2.40, $2.10, $2.10 ok) and Berzerker ($3.60, $2.40, $2.20). In the other pair we finished fifth and sixth, respectively, with Gaareat Goozoo (9-5) and Bossy Hill (7-2). At WoMo, the soph-filly Ontario SBOA final went to the super-favorite, an unbeaten speedster. We finished off the board with Summer Charm (7-1). HAMBLETONIAN TRAIL The busy week for glamour-boy-and-girl trotters began on Firday, May 17 at Vernon with two elims for next weeks Empire Breeders Classic. The public choices won each. In the first of the duo we finished third with Pilgrims Lass ($8.50), then we struck the exotic pools hard in the bookend division. Using the public choice, which won, we covered the exacta with Sweet Chapter ($5.60, $5.10), which paid $79.60. Our other choice, Winndevie ($2.10) took the third spot in the 50-cent triple, paying $58.50. Friday night at the Meadowlands, current home of the Hambletonian and “Oaks,” the New Jersey Sires Stakes (NJSS) began with full fields for the soph trotters. The colts’ duo was a fiery speed display from Greenshoe, the huge favorite, as predicted. We completed the exacta with a place from Sheenas Boy ($6.60, $3.80), which paid $19.60. We finished second in the other NJSS colt episode with the public choice, No Drama Please ($3.40, $3.20). A 15-1 winner was the result of two top choices breaking. The first filly NJSS was another exacta-assisting second with Starita ($4.30, $3.00). That exotic paid $23.60. Our biggest failure was our greatest hope in the second split. Solitare Hill (74-1) finished eighth in a scrambled mile won by a 6-1 shot. Saturday afternoon at the Meadows, four Pennsylvania Sires Stakes (PASS) for fillies produced some jumbled results. We were on the board once in the quartet and that was a finish third for Southwind Casha ($2.40), who lost to the public choice. Two of our contenders broke stride. In split two, Ma Was Right (14-1) galloped, as did Mimi’sspearoflindy (12-1) in split four. Our choice in the first PASS round, Jezzys Legacy (14-1), finished fifth. In the Ontario SBOA filly-trot final at WoMo, Presto Change O (17-1), finished fourth to the favorite. H2W LIST RESULTS The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete a cold exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 82 active horses (a 21-percent win hit rate and a 52-percent ATB [across-the-board] hit rate). Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place, show and exotic results occurring by press time but some horses race after the blog is posted (we list them the following weeks) It is up to you to follow horses that have not performed before this weekly review. Winners Grandpa Don, $27.00, $11.20, $5.80, Pocono Trinitysfancyfilly, $21.60, $7.40, $4.20, Running Aces Makin Money Fast, $15.60, $4.60, $3.20, Rosecroft Fox Valley Hotcake, $14.20, $3.40, $2.40, Hawthorne Stonebridge Drama, $14.20, $5.40, $5.40 ok), Western Fair Sheer Talent, $11.60, $4.20, $3.20, Freehold Next Success, $8.70, $6.00, $3.50, Buffalo Cookie’s Empire, $6.20, $3.20, $2.80, Northfield Windson Brooklyn, $6.20, $3.80, $2.60, Hawthorne Scandalicious, $6.00, $2.90, $2.70, Yonkers All Chromed Out, $4.80, $2.60, $2.20, Plainridge Great Emancipator, $4.80, $4.40, $2.60, Freehold Western Toro, $4.80, $3.40, $2.80, Vernon Tucson’s Breeze, $4.40, $3.20, $2.80, Northfield Falcon’s Luke, $3.40, $2.60, $2.20, Buffalo Bail Out, $2.40, $2.40, $2.10 ok, Vernon Character Art, $2.10, $2.10, $2.10 ok, Philly Seconds Holla At Ur Boy, $8.40, $4.10, Buffalo Frenzie, $6.80, $5.60 (Exacta $30.60), Saratoga Rockin Deo, $5.80, Northville Reidio Star, $5.60, $4.40 (Exacta $6.80), Northville The Light In Me, $5.30, $4.10 (Exacta $9.40), Vernon Analyze, $3.60, $2.40, Northfield Princess Glydana, $3.50, Yonkers Seawind Ginger, $3.20, $2.20 (Exacta $10.40), Plainridge Davids Draw, $3.00, $2.10 (Exacta $5.40), Monticello Jag Out, $3.00, $2.40, Yonkers Twinkle, $3.00, $2.10, Yonkers Cantescapedesire, $2.80, $2.10, Hoosier Fraulein Blucher, $2.80, $2.40, Meadows Lilac Laurey, $2.80, $3.00 ok, Hawthorne Data, $2.60, Freehold Sicily, $2.40, $2.20, Harrington The Real One, $2.40, $2.10, Yonkers Thirds Yourtheoohtomyahh, $6.80, Flamboro Rockin Zendaya, $5.40, Northfield Lucky Michael, $5.00, Bangor Princess Glydana, $4.90, Monticello Akron, $4.80, Plainridge Better Up, $3.30, Mohawk Louzotic, $3.00, Hawthorne Western Exposure, $2.40, Meadowlands Lindy Missunshine, $2.20, Meadows News & Notes The Australasian harness racing connection is bolder than ever. Horsemen and horses have been lining programs throughout North America. New Zealand-native Dexter Dunn and Australian Andy McCarthy are two drivers that are well acquainted to bettors these days and nights at harness raceways. This season, champion trainer Brett Pelling returned from his hiatus living Down Under again, to condition stock for another North American barn. Pelling said there is a sense of community between all those who hail from Australiasia campaigning this season. “We are here together. The Down Under people know Down Under people. And that means something.” Also from another land comes Swedish-bred trotter Darling Mearas. The six-year-old trotting mare qualified at the Meadowlands and is poised to enter her first race in North America. Darling Mearas, who earned $750,199 in Europe and who has won the Swedish Trotting Oaks and European Championship for mares, qualified in 1:56.1 for trainer Ake Svanstedt. However, Svanstedt reportedly was disappointed in her performance so he is delayed her debut in North America. On Thursday, May 16 at Scioto, driver Chris Page won seven of 12 races, scoring high as a flat-bet profit (FBP) wager due to a pair of double-digit prices. The total cost for playing only horses driven by Chris that night was $24.00. Chris’ two highest paying winners returned $12.40 and $10.80. Along with am $8.00 winner and four less than $6.00, the investment returned $47.00--$23.00 more than wagered. The evening, then, made Chris Page one of the highest FBP wagers so far this season. Hambletonian-champ Marion Marauder raced well at five. His 2018 season, however, ended with concern from his connections. He finished first or second in 10 starts and then tanked, unable to hit the board in his final four races, which included three of the biggest stakes of the year for older trotters. North America’s richest active trotter was turned out for an extended vacation. Now six, his connections will seek answers so he can get back into action. The Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) for glamour-boy trotters (see elim results above), included a bye for Gimpanzee. The early choice to win this year’s Hambletonian will make his debut in next week’s $215,200 EBC final (see next week’s Hambletonian Trail blog). Gimpanzee was unbeaten at two. He won the NYSS final and Breeders Crown final for trainer Marcus Melander. Extraordinary Extras Indulge in my monthly columns, Alternative Actions and Bettors Banquet at Harness Racing Update